“Music is the most powerful common language, transcending borders and spoken words.”

Tenor and pastor Wi Young Oh began studying classical voice at the relatively late age of 36. Since then, he has emerged as one of the most active and respected Korean-American tenors in the Los Angeles music community.

Oh built a strong theological foundation through his studies at Chongshin Theological Seminary, Azusa Pacific University, where he earned a Master of Divinity, and International Theological Seminary, where he completed a Master of Theology.

His first impression is gentle and reserved. He speaks softly, at times appearing almost shy. Despite his long and distinguished career, he is also something of a well-known figure without the usual collection of extensive solo interviews or promotional profiles.

After studying under Professor Robert McNeil and later becoming a principal student of Park In-soo, professor emeritus at Seoul National University and one of the most influential figures in Korean vocal music, Oh developed into a leading Korean-American vocalist and pastor. He has appeared in approximately 200 performances a year, singing at prestigious venues including Walt Disney Concert Hall and Zipper Concert Hall.

#.For Oh, however, the stage is more than a place to perform.

His career has taken him beyond the Korean-American community and into international cultural exchange. He has participated in opera collaborations with Taiwanese musicians, promoted friendship with the Jewish community and worked with numerous ethnic and cultural groups across the diverse landscape of the United States.

His voice has also consistently been directed toward those living on society’s margins. Through benefit concerts for people with disabilities, refugees and underserved communities, Oh has sought to use music as a source of comfort, healing and hope.

#. A Late Beginning Opened by “Blessed Encounters”

Beginning a vocal career at 36 placed Oh far behind the conventional timeline followed by most classical singers. Yet he never regarded age as an obstacle.

After coming to the United States in 2001, his passion for singing was met by a series of encounters that he describes as blessings.

“I started late, but God opened doors that had seemed firmly closed,” Oh said. “When grace came upon my life, I began to see the boundaries of my ministry expand day by day.”

Born into a pastoral family, Oh initially pursued theology in accordance with his mother’s deep wish that he follow the path of ministry. Yet the calling to become a vocalist eventually came to him with the force of destiny.

He formally began advanced vocal training later in life, studying with Professor Robert McNeil in 2013. Beginning in 2014, he received instruction from Park In-soo and spent nine years researching and refining vocal technique.

Oh became particularly known for learning the bel canto tradition from Park.

Bel canto, an Italian term meaning “beautiful singing,” is a classical vocal tradition that emphasizes the voice as a natural and refined instrument. Its central principles include stable breath support, or appoggio, smooth legato, even tone, accurate pitch, technical control and the ability to communicate emotional movement through musical phrasing.

One of its distinguishing features is that, when properly developed, the technique can remain consistent even as a singer grows older.

Oh also expanded his understanding of opera through years of training alongside seven female vocalists, including sopranos and altos. During this period, he shared stages with senior figures such as Professor Um Jung-haeng and participated in the U.S. chapter of the Park In-soo Vocal Research Society.

Through these experiences, he eventually earned a reputation as one of the most sought-after Korean tenors in the United States.

Today, he conducts three choirs, maintains an active career as a soloist and serves as a professor of voice at California Arts University. Each role represents the culmination of years of discipline, faith and perseverance.

#. Friendship with Taiwan and a Leading Role in Samson and Delilah - Oh’s activities extend far beyond the Korean-American community.

His reputation reached Taiwan, where musicians and cultural leaders researched his career before proposing a collaboration. Through an invitation from the Elite Music Foundation, a prominent Taiwanese cultural organization, he appeared at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse and further established his international presence.

The Elite Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Taiwanese and Taiwanese-American culture through music education and cultural exchange. Led by figures including principal conductor Cliff Yang and music director Lynn Huang, the organization regularly presents choral and orchestral collaborations in Taiwan, the United States and other parts of the world.

Through this partnership, Oh was cast in the leading role of Samson in Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera Samson and Delilah.

Performed in French, the large-scale production featured a choir of approximately 50 singers and an orchestra of about 40 musicians. Oh’s emotional depth, dramatic presence and powerful voice left a lasting impression on both Taiwanese and local audiences.

Reflecting on the performance, Oh said, “It was deeply meaningful to portray the biblical story of Samson—his love, betrayal and redemption—while demonstrating the artistry of a Korean vocalist and helping open a new channel of personal and cultural exchange with Taiwan’s music community.”

#. Koreans and Jews United Through a “Harmony of Friendship”

Oh’s commitment to international and intercommunity collaboration has deep roots.

In August 2019, another historic concert took place at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The event, titled “Harmony of Friendship,” was jointly presented by the Los Angeles Korean-American Musicians Association, known as LAKMA, and the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony.

Oh appeared as a featured soloist.

The concert brought together Korean and Jewish communities, both shaped by histories of hardship, persecution and resilience. Under conductors Yim Sang Yoon and Noreen Green, Oh performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and its celebrated “Ode to Joy,” helping dissolve cultural and linguistic barriers through music.

In June 2024, he also presented a solo recital titled “A Prayer for Peace” at Zipper Concert Hall under the sponsorship of World Mission University. The performance offered messages of peace, comfort and reconciliation to Korean-American and multicultural audiences alike.

#. Wheelchairs, Refugee Missions and Songs That Embrace the World’s Pain -  Oh’s music resonates most powerfully when directed toward people in need.

In 2016, he held a solo recital to support medical missions serving Kurdish refugees. He also collaborated with Bona Music, led by Hye-ja Lee, to organize a benefit concert supporting Best Buddies, an organization that assists individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

#.  His ministry did not stop during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oh participated in an online benefit concert organized by Shalom Disability Ministries under the theme “Delivering the Bread of Life on Wheelchairs.” The event raised support for impoverished people with disabilities around the world.

“Even when I cannot physically travel to the field, if my singing can give them practical strength and hope, then I believe that is the reason God gave me this voice,” Oh said.

He has repeatedly expressed his determination to stand on any stage that serves people who are marginalized, overlooked or suffering.

#. A Journey of Grace Across Sacred Music and Opera

Oh currently leads the Wi Young Oh Music Academy and serves as conductor of the Grace Mission Choir and Morning Star Mission Choir. He is equally passionate about developing students of every age.

At a student concert held several years ago at Pyungkang Church, a church member named Myung-ki Gong, then over 90 years old, performed with vocal strength and enthusiasm comparable to that of a trained singer. The performance deeply moved and inspired the congregation.

For Oh, the sight of students learning with childlike sincerity and passion brings both joy and emotional fulfillment.

“I feel the greatest reward as both a vocalist and pastor when I see my students rediscover joy in life and experience spiritual restoration through praise,” he said.

“Singing is one of the finest tools for making our lives brighter and happier, and it is a gift from God. Life becomes more joyful through song, and through praise we come to recognize the precious value of our existence.”

Oh also remains dedicated to preparing the next generation. Among his advanced students is a promising singer expected to debut soon as a prima donna.

His efforts to broaden the audience for classical music continue without pause. His performance career has taken him to Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Italy and other parts of Europe, as well as major American cities including Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta and Portland.

He is regarded as one of the busiest Korean-American vocalists currently active in the United States.

Oh also possesses the temperament of a performer who rises to the occasion. He has an unusual ability to command a space and fill it with sound. Because of his dedication to music, he maintains a regular strength-training routine to keep his voice at a consistent level.

He speaks of singing with deep satisfaction.

“Song is one of the best tools for making our lives bright and happy,” he said. “Through praise, we can recognize the dignity and value of our own existence.”

Looking ahead, Oh hopes to establish a music academy in Silicon Valley, expanding his work in education, performance and spiritual ministry.

Through a musical calling discovered later in life, tenor and pastor Wi Young Oh has continued to heal the world’s pain while building bridges among Taiwan, Korea, the United States and many other communities.

His voice continues to resonate warmly—toward society’s lowest places and across the widest reaches of the world.

By Hoon Goo Lee